Briefly, the invention relates in general to that apparatus referred to as a boat loader and particularly to the species of boat loader employed for loading a boat onto a camper or trailer type vehicle, although the invention is also suitable for use with other types of vehicles as well.
Notwithstanding the vast and significant improvements and advances in boat materials and manufacturing technology which have greatly reduced the weight of fishing boats, loading a boat onto a vehicle is still a considerable problem. The problem increases with the heighth of a vehicle and vehicles most popular with fisherman are campers, trailers, and mobile homes which as a class are perhaps the highest of all vehicles in any significant numbers on which boats are commonly carried.
Numerous patents for inventions for boat loaders exist as testimonials to the many attempts made to solve the boat loading problem.
One such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 2,967,635 which issued Jan. 10, 1961 to F. H. Barnett for Boat Loading Device. Briefly, the Barnett device comprises support and load bearing means described in the patent as longitudinally extending and laterally spaced opposite side members 12 which extend from and attach to the rear bumper of an automobile and run angularly upwardly and slightly forwardly to about the top of the vehicle and thence forwardly approximately horizontally to a point of attachment on the vehicle roof. The side members are joined rigidly by cross members. Attached near the beginning of the portion extending upwardly angularly and forwardly is a loading boom, described in the patent as a vertically swinging loading frame. A pivotal extension from the frame, described in the patent as swinging legs, connect directly to the transom of a boat. A winch lifts the stern of a boat to swing upwardly first the legs and then the boom. This partially raises the boat above the vehicle. The boat is then manually moved the rest of the way over the vehicle.
Another style of boat loader specifically designed for a camper vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,953 which issued Oct. 10, 1972 to Sunyong P. Kim. Briefly, that invention comprises a hinged, suspension-like mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,922 issued Dec. 11, 1973 to Paul a Kirchmeyer for LOADER FOR ELEVATING A LOAD ONTO AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE TOP. This invention includes a frame which is rigidly connected to a boat which is to be loaded. The frame is pivotally connected to the lower end of supporting links which hang vertically from the top of a vehicle onto which the boat is to be loaded. The upper end of the supporting links are in turn pivotally connected to slides which are housed within tracks secured to connected to slides which are housed within tracks secured to the vehicle top. A winch pulls the boat upright, until the frame is vertical and contiguous with the supporting links. Further operation of the winch produces conjoint tilting of the supporting links and frame until they reach a horizontal attitude whereupon the slides telescope into the tracks as the boat is pulled onto the vehicle top.
Various other types of boat loaders have been invented, including those of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,435,970; 2,584,163; 3,478,908; 2,753,063; 2,808,952; 3,716,156; 2,985,327; 2,722,326; 3,612,314; and numerous others.
An object of the present invention is to provide a boat loader which is operable by a single person.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a boat loader which may be safely used even in a strong or gusty wind.
Yet another object of the present invention is a boat loader which is independent of and adjustable with respect to the heighth and width of the vehicle with which it is used.
A further object of the invention is a boat loader which may be used to load a variety of sizes of boats.